London accountant Wayne Skrypnyk lived life to the fullest

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Forget the three-piece suit and briefcase, Wayne Skrypnyk was a chartered accountant with flair.

And when the 56-year-old founder and partner of the Skrypnyk Group died unexpectedly July 21, it was a shocking loss for his family and friends.

Skrypnyk broke the mould — he wasn’t the typical caricature of a joyless, serious businessman.

“He never liked being called an accountant,” said Darla Hexter, general manager of the Skrypnyk Group. He was progressive and valued building relationships with clients, meeting them at their kitchen table and connecting with them on a personal level, she said.

Philip Griffin, Skrypnyk’s longtime friend and partner at the Skrypnyk Group, said “passion, energy and talent” were the three attributes that best described the way Skrypnyk ran his business.

And though he worked long hours to build his business from the ground up, Skrypnyk always managed to find time for things he cared about — specifically his family. From coaching his two sons’ hockey teams and volunteering in his Oakridge neighbourhood, “he would always make time for it. He would make room for that stuff so he could be part of it,” said Justin Skrypnyk, his son.

Health and vitality were two concepts that shaped Skrypnyk’s personal and professional life — from his athleticism to the way he marketed his business. Maintaining healthy relationships with others and cultivating a work-life balance was a priority for Skrypnyk, and something he encouraged his staff to develop.

“For him, family was one of the most important things,’’ said Sean Ashley, a partner of the Skrypnyk Group.

And if you frequented Springbank Park, it’s likely you’d have come across Skrypnyk — blazing a trail, running or biking with his group of friends.

“If he wasn’t on the bike he was running, if he wasn’t biking or running, he was at the Athletic Club,” Hexter said.

“I have never worked anyplace where I have laughed as often as I have here,” Hexter said.

This year, Skrypnyk sponsored children to attend the Huron Church Camp, though he rarely touted his philanthropic efforts to others. He was a generous man who found personal satisfaction though community involvement.

Among a network of colleagues, clients and friends, Skrypnyk left behind two sons, Denny and Justin, his partner Pam Wright, his brothers, nieces and nephews.

Though Skrypnyk had a rich life with diverse interests, Hexter said, he lived by a simple guiding principle. “You don’t make money just for yourself, you make it for your community as well,” she said. “That is your legacy.”